The Banquet
by Ranger's Only Girl
Summary: Dimitri's POV in Frostbite. Follows Dimitri as he accompanies Tasha to the same banquet Lissa takes Rose to. Chaos ensues as he tries to keep Adrian away from Rose while also talking to Tasha about being her guardian...read on to find out what happens!
1. Part One

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to the brilliant Richelle Mead.

**The Banquet**

As a guardian, I was expected to follow my Moroi charge where ever they went, acting as an unseen shadow. Even if that meant to a fancy dinner party that I probably wouldn't be happy to be going to otherwise. I never thought I would get conned into going to one, especially by a Moroi who I wasn't technically assigned to. Yet at least.

Tasha had decided I'd be the perfect person to bring along to Pricilla Voda's exclusive invitation-only dinner. The reason probably had something to do with our complicated relationship, but I chose not to think about that as I knocked on her door.

It swung open to reveal a vision in a floor length evening gown. The dress was the color of sapphires, and brought out a mesmerizing shade of color in her eyes. Her jet black hair was styled in loose curls that fell in waves around her heart shaped face, cascading down past her creamy white shoulders.

She gave me a soft smile as she watched me take her in, and finally broke my silence by asking, "So? What do you think?"

What a loaded question. She looked beautiful, of course. But for some reason an image of Rose in her short black dress from the dance a few weeks ago popped into my mind at that moment, halting whatever it was I'd been about to say.

I quickly tried to push the distracting image out of my mind as I took her hand and brought it to my lips, softly kissing her knuckles. I replied simply, "You look wonderful."

I gently tugged her from the doorway, turning my back to close and lock her door as I pictured in my mind doing the same thing, mentally closing and locking away the images of Rose that kept popping into my mind and distracting me from the here and now.

I turned around and focused my attention back on Tasha, who still held my hand in hers, and we began walking down the hall to the elevators that would bring us to the banquet hall.

We made small talk on the way, reminiscing about the people we both knew and the places we had both once been. As we approached the banquet hall, I could see a few Royals making their way in the same direction, dressed in their finest, and we followed them on under the archway that led inside.

The room was extravagantly decorated, beeswax candles hanging on the walls around us casting a soft glow on the Moroi around the room. Trays of crystal champagne flutes and hors d'oeuvres were being offered by servers, and sets of fine china bedecked each table. In one corner of the room, a Moroi woman was playing enchanting music from her cello. Overall, the effect was magnificent but a part of me couldn't help wishing I was back in my room, enjoying a good book.

As I had been admiring the room around me, Tasha had begun socializing with those around us. Just as I had begun paying attention to the conversation, I was immediately and hopelessly distracted once more by the entrance of Lissa, or more importantly her companion. Instead of Christian Ozera accompanying the Dragomir princess as I had assumed he would, it was instead Rose who was at her side.

Lissa was beautiful in her deep purple satin dress, but it was Rose I couldn't take my eyes off of. Her dress was a deep red that was a compelling contrast with her dark hair. Flowers were embroidered onto the sleek material, and although the dress was styled with a high neck and long hem, unusual for Rose's ordinary taste, the effect was just as devastating if not more so because of how the material clung to her curves and left a lot to the imagination.

I swallowed hard as I tried to get a firm grip on my wild imagination. I DID NOT want to go there right now, especially since I was supposedly here as Tasha's date. Remembering this, I turned my eyes back to her and was unsettled to find her gaze already locked on me. As soon as I met her eyes, she blushed and turned back to the Moroi she had been conversing with. If I hadn't known any better I'd say she had been watching me in the same way I had just been watching Rose. I hope she hadn't noticed the direction of my gaze…

When it was time, I managed to acquire seats at a table that non-coincidently gave me the perfect vantage point of Rose and Lissa's seats, located in a shadowed corner of the room where I could see but not be seen by the object of my gaze. It was hard, but for the next half hour I tried to concentrate on the food presented before me, which was delicious but held my attention for less then ten minutes because of how small of a portion it was. The light chatter from those seated at our table, though hardly engaging was enough to hold my attention only when it was directed at me. Most of the time my gaze continued to wander until it found her, my eyes somehow able to quickly discern her from the crowd without having to try very hard.

Periodically throughout the meal, brief glances in my direction from Tasha would bring me back to the table we shared and when our arms or legs would brush each other for the briefest of moments it gave me a clue as to where her thoughts were straying.

My guess was confirmed after the conclusion of the meal. As I began to rise and follow the other dinner guests to the middle of the banquet hall to socialize and to try to secretly catch another glimpse of Rose in her sexy red dress, she took my hand to stop me and I paused, a silent question showing on my face.

She answered it by saying, "Have you thought at all about my offer Dimka?"

I slowly sank back into my chair, trying to hide my emotions. By her actions towards me tonight, I knew she wasn't just asking me about her offer to become her personal guardian.

Truth be told, I had thought about her offer, a lot actually. It was a great opportunity, one that would have a lot of benefits. I would be a guardian for one of the Royal families still, and I knew it would be a good situation for both of us.

She was my friend, and we got along really well together because of our history together. We had become closer, our friendship evolving into something more then I had originally thought possible after she had come to the academy.

It all really started after the trip to the mall; the one that ironically Rose suggested I accompany Tasha on. Our first kiss was after we had arrived back at the Academy. Even though there wasn't a need, I had walked her back to the old cabin in the woods she was staying in. We had had a good time together, and we were still laughing and joking as we walked, though we were exhausted from being out all night.

We had stopped in front of the door to say our goodbyes, and she turned to face me with a big smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with laughter. That was the moment things changed between us. It could have been because we had known each other for so long that it seemed like the natural next step in our relationship, or the fact that while I had been with her she had managed to keep my thoughts away from Rose. It could have been something entirely different, but whatever the reasoning the next moment she was looking searchingly into my eyes. Whatever she was looking for she must have found because she leaned closer until we were barely an inch from each other.

"Dimka," she breathed "I-"

Before I could really think about what I was doing, I took away the last space between us and kissed her slowly on the mouth. I lingered there, tasting, testing, seeing if this was what we both wanted. I began to pull away slightly but she stopped me by tangling her fingers in my hair so I pulled her closer to me and deepened the kiss.

When we finally came up for air, she gave me a shy smile and said, "I've wanted that to happen for awhile now. I used to have a crush on you when we were teenagers," she laughed at this and took my hands to twine our fingers together. "Where do we go from here Dimka?"

"I don't know," I replied, looking down at our joined hands. She squeezed my hands, and when I looked back up I could see the hope in her eyes. "I guess we'll just have to go day by day and see where it takes us."

She smiled, and I leaned back towards her for another kiss. When we finally broke apart, I gave her one last peck on the cheek and watched her walk in the door. When it closed I slowly turned and began making my way back to the main campus…

From there on, we were together as much as possible. Tasha's feelings were pure and true, the change in her personality around me was a testament to that. Mine were somewhat tainted because, though I wouldn't admit it to myself, Tasha was a way for me to cover up my feelings for Rose and I took advantage of that as much as possible. I did enjoy being with her for herself though, and as time went on and we spent more and more time together my feelings for her eventually did grow into more than I had originally thought possible.

The idea of us having children together had been hers as well. She knew how much I adored them, and she was at an age where she was ready to settle down and start a family. She hadn't found anyone before me that she had pictured herself settling down with, and who better to raise a family with than a friend you cared about? She believed that if you couldn't find the kind of love that binds two souls together, a marriage with one of your best friends was the closest thing to it.

All of this quickly flashed through my mind as she awaited my answer. Although it seemed a simple question with a simple answer, I couldn't bring myself to give her a real response just yet. My mind knew what I should say but my heart was more conflicted for reasons I refused to voice, even inside my own mind.

After a brief silence, I finally replied. "I have, though I still don't have an answer for you." I tried to be as honest as I could with her, because no matter what I felt she was still a good friend and I didn't want to hurt her and be the cause of her pain.

I saw the briefest flash of something in her eyes that caused her smile to falter almost imperceptibly but then her face cleared and her smile softened.

"It's alright Dimka, I don't mean to rush you. I know you'd want to make sure Lissa had a suitable replacement guardian, and of course you'd want to wait until Rose graduated so you could finish her training."

I felt bad that the reasons she listed on my behalf were only a small part of my hesitation, but I took the reprieve they gave me anyway.

"Thank you, Tasha," I said. "I appreciate your understanding."

She gave me another warm small when I gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Well," she said clearing her throat. "I think it's time for the real socializing to begin!"

I stood up and politely pulled her chair back from the table, keeping her hand in mine as I helped her stand. I followed her as she made her way over to a group of Moroi, where she proceeded to join in on their conversation about the latest Strigoi attack.

I excused myself after a couple of minutes, claiming my need for something to quench my thirst. I made my way to a refreshment table and randomly made a selection, my eyes already automatically searching the crowd for Rose.

I found her a little ways away standing close to Lissa, who seemed to be moderating a discussion between a few angry looking Moroi. When my view of her became blocked, I moved into a niche next to a wall covered in shadows that allowed me look on without being seen unless someone knew where to look. I settled in, leaning up against the wall and allowed my thoughts to wander. I still managed to keep a part of my mind clear in order to keep watch on the rest of my surroundings in case something were to happen. It was unlikely, but old Guardian habits die hard.

"Our Rose looks beautiful tonight, doesn't she?"

Startled out of my reverie, but not letting it show I straightened and turned to see Adrian Ivashkov had come to stand beside me, apparently knowing exactly who I was watching. Taking a sip of the drink he carried in his hand, he turned to face the same direction I was and the heat in his eyes told me he was having his own thoughts and fantasies involving Rose.

Not liking that idea one bit yet trying to hide my reaction from him, I answered with a cold voice, "There is no 'our'. Rose is my student and I am her mentor. You are just a boy who is too arrogant and cocky to realize when a woman is not interested."

"Ooohh, touchy touchy!" he said in a mocking voice. "You know, I'd be more careful if I were you. I wouldn't let on to others about your feelings for her. I'm surprised no one else ever notices the way you stare at her when you think no one is watching, and how the two of you act around each other is just indecent."

Ignoring this I replied, "You WILL stay away from Rose in the future, Ivashkov. That's not a request, that's an order. You may have other women wrapped around your finger, but Rose will not be one of them. Rose is off limits to you. I don't want to see you with her again as I did earlier, in your suite. In fact, I don't want to see you with her at all. EVER."

"Well then I guess we have a problem Belikov, since she and I are friends and I intend to turn our relationship into something more. That shouldn't be a problem for me, since you seem to be pushing yourself out of the picture if Mason Ashford is any indicator."

I knew he was trying to provoke me so all I said was "She's smarter than that. She won't fall for you."

He smirked and said, "Maybe not at first, but eventually. She may not realize it, but she does like me. Once she gets tired of Ashford, I'll be there to win her over and you won't be able to do a damn thing about it. From what I hear, you'll be too busy cozying up to Tasha Ozera, along with your other Guardian duties. You won't be there to stop it from happening."

Barely able to restrain myself, I gritted my teeth and snarled, "Stay away from her Ivashkov."

"Sorry Belikov, you ruined your chance. I'm just glad I'm here to pick up your slack."

Raising his glass in a mock salute, he finished off the last of his cocktail and placed it on the tray of a passing server. With that, he walked over to where Rose was standing by herself, Lissa lost in the crowd. Knowing I was watching, he turned his head and flashed a smug grin my way right before he reached her.

***Reviews/commentary or anything else you have to say would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks for reading! Part 2 coming soon =)


	2. Part Two

**A/N:** **A HUGE shoutout and thank you to everyone who has reviewed and left feedback. You guys are awesome and you totally made my weekend!!!!! Hope you guys like part two, and of course leave feedback to let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer:** Everything belongs to Richelle Mead of course. I hope to be as genius as her one day!

* * *

**PART TWO**

Though I couldn't hear over the hum of voices in the banquet hall, I watched as Rose started to take an hors d'oeuvre off of a tray held by a server. Whatever Adrian leaned in to say made her jerk her hand back and leave it there, untouched.

She turned towards him with a look of disgust on her face, and I hoped it was because of his unexpected presence, not just because of whatever had been on the tray. My hopes were dashed as they continued talking, whatever he said to her making her blush.

I continued to watch them with narrowed eyes, weighting the pros and cons of interrupting them. I saw Adrian hand Rose a flute of champagne, and when she accepted it my mouth turned down in disapproval but I was distracted when someone stepped into my line of sight. I had been interrupted by none other than Janine Hathaway.

Obviously not knowing what was causing my distress, she asked, "What has you looking as if you're facing down a Strigoi tonight?"

"Them." I angrily jerked my head towards Rose and Adrian, my eyes still narrowed and I felt a muscle in my jaw spasm as I continued to watch them.

Turning in the direction I indicated, I saw Janine's eyes widen and her mouth formed a thin angry line. I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears as she took in the scene before her, watching as Adrian took a step closer to Rose, closing a little more distance between them. Not even bothering to excuse herself, she stormed off in the direction of the two. I liked the sudden turn of events because it meant the two would be interrupted, and Adrian's plan to ensnare Rose would be thwarted. All I'd had to do was point someone else in the right direction that had even more of a reason to interfere than I did.

"Rose!" Janine's loud and angry outburst caused a few people in that vicinity to turn their heads inquiringly as she halted in front of her daughter. I nonchalantly edged closer to the three so I could hear what was going on. No one noticed me in the shadows, as those around me had turned to see what the commotion was.

"What do you think you're doing?" Janine demanded.

"Nothing, I-"

"Excuse us, Lord Ivashkov," Janine practically growled, grabbing Rose's arm and propelling her out of the room.

Adrian watched them go, an annoyed look on his face. I walked up behind him and when he turned at my approach, his eyes narrowed. I kept an innocent look plastered on my face, but as I walked past I whispered, "You may have begun the game Ivashkov but I'll be the one to finish it, and I'll be playing by my own rules."

I didn't give him the chance to retaliate but I could practically feel him staring daggers into my back as I made my way to one of the side exits.

Stealthily, I followed Rose and Janine out of the banquet hall and into the outside hallway, placing myself behind a well-placed column farther down the hall from where they had begun to argue.

Now that Rose was away from Adrian, I began to feel a little regret for getting Rose in trouble with her mother. But then I remembered the way she had seemed to be flirting with Adrian and how he had definitely been flirting back, how they had each stepped closer to one another during their conversation, making it seem almost too intimate for others to be witnessing…

I quickly stomped out my remorse. Part of me did feel sorry for getting Rose in trouble and for instigating an argument that probably wouldn't help Rose's and Janine's relationship much. The other part of me though, the part I kept trying to bury inside myself was glad that I had managed to get her away from Adrian.

Rose's voice broke through my thoughts, and I focused back on what was going on.

"What do you think _you're_ doing?" She looked down and said, "This is _silk_. You could have ruined it."

Janine snatched the champagne glass Rose was still holding out of her hand and set it down on a nearby table before she answered.

"Good. Maybe it'll stop you from dressing up like a cheap whore."

Uh oh, I thought as I cringed, this isn't exactly what I'd had in mind.

"Whoa," Rose said, shocked. "That's kind of harsh. And where do you get off turning motherly all of a sudden?" She gestured to her dress as she said "This isn't exactly cheap. You thought it was nice of Tasha to give it to me."

"That's because I didn't expect you to wear it out with the Moroi and make a spectacle of yourself," Janine retorted.

I couldn't deny the truth in that since I hadn't been able to take my eyes off of her all night, though frankly it had little to do with the dress. After seeing Janine's reaction to _this_ dress, I was just thankful Rose had chosen to wear that tonight instead of the little black dress from the dance…I think Janine would have been livid had she seen Rose wearing that little number. Not to mention all of the male admirers' heads I would've had to bash together…

"I'm not making a spectacle of myself. And anyway, it covers everything up," Rose replied.

Also true, but it definitely left a lot more to the imagination, which was worse. I would know.

As if she had heard my thoughts, Janine said "A dress that tight might as well be showing everything, especially when you're with a group like that. Your body's…conspicuous. And flirting with Moroi doesn't really help."

I felt another small, guilty tug on my conscience. Janine most likely wouldn't have noticed Rose and Adrian flirting if it hadn't been for me. I was still glad I'd managed to get him away from her though. His intentions worried me, and no matter how much I tried to stay away from her for our own good, I still didn't want Rose getting hurt. If anyone were to do that I knew it would be him.

"I wasn't flirting with him," she replied angrily. "Besides," she continued mockingly, "isn't that what I'm supposed to do? Hook up with a Moroi and further my race? It's what _you_ did."

I flinched, not liking the thought of her "furthering her race" as she put it.

Janine glowered."Not when I was your age."

"You were only a few years older than me."

"Don't do anything stupid, Rose," Janine said. "You're too young for a baby. You don't have the life experience for it-you haven't even lived your own life yet. You won't be able to do the kind of job you wish you could."

Rose groaned, a mortified look on her face. "Are we really even discussing this? How did we go from me allegedly flirting to suddenly having a litter? I'm not having sex with him or anyone else, and even if I were, I know about birth control. Why are you talking to me like I'm a child?"

"Because you act like one."

I winced, thinking Janine's answer had sounded very similar to what I had said to Rose not too long ago. Hearing it come from someone else made me realize how callous it sounded.

With a glare at her mother Rose said, "So you're going to send me to my room now?"

"No, Rose." Janine suddenly looked tired. "You don't have to go to your room, but don't go back in there, either. Hopefully you didn't draw too much attention."

"You make it sound like I was giving a lap dance in there," Rose replied defensively. "I just had dinner with Lissa."

"You'd be surprised what things could spark rumors," Janine warned. "Especially with Adrian Ivashkov."

With that, Janine turned and headed down the hallway in the direction of her room with Rose watching her departure. Under her breath I heard her mutter "Thanks mom." after a couple of Moroi walked passed that had witnessed her humiliation inside, then proceeded to stalk off in the direction of the back of the hotel. I decided to follow her, still feeling somewhat guilty because of what had transpired between her and her mother.

The hallway she had chosen eventually ended, but she went through a door on the left and quickly disappeared up some stairs. I stopped at the door and debated with myself, trying to decide if I should follow her again.

After only a couple of minutes, I decided to ignore my better judgment so I took the stairs two at a time. When I reached the top and pushed open the door, I saw Rose sitting on part of the lodge's ventilation system. Her perch overlooked the snow covered mountain range, the sun peeking out just enough to make the snow on their peaks sparkle in its morning rays.

The sound of my sudden appearance must have startled Rose because she quickly turned around with the noise of the door opening. Her eyes widened even more when she saw it was me and she hastily turned back around to look at the view again.

My boots made a soft crunching sound in the snow as I made my way over to her. Her arms were tightly crossed in front of her chest, goose bumps rising on her skin so I took my coat off and wrapped it around her small frame before I sat down and said, "You must be freezing."

"The sun's out," she replied.

I tipped my head back to look at the sunlit sky I was rarely able to enjoy anymore before I answered.

"It is. But we're still on a mountain in the middle of winter."

She didn't answer. We sat in companionable silence for a while, a light breeze popping up every now and then that would blow clouds of snow around. I felt content at that moment, as I so often did when I was with her.

She broke the silence saying, "My life is a disaster."

"No it's not." I replied automatically"

"Did you follow me from the party?" she asked.

"Yes."

"I didn't even know you were there." After a slight pause she continued. "So you saw the illustrious Janine cause a commotion by dragging me out."

Guiltily I replied with, "It wasn't a commotion. Hardly anyone noticed. I saw because I was watching you."

If I hadn't been watching Rose so closely at that moment I would have missed the almost imperceptible change in her eyes with my admission, but it was gone almost as quick as it came.

"That's not what she said," Rose told me. "I might as well have been working a corner as far as she was concerned."

She continued on, relaying their argument in the hallway and I listened as if I hadn't been a witness to the events. I gave her my honest opinion when she finished, saying, "She's just worried about you."

"She overreacted."

"Sometimes mothers are overprotective." I replied. Not to mention a certain mentor that really had no right to be I added silently.

She stared at me. "Yeah, but this is _my_ mother. And she didn't seem that protective, really. I think she was more worried I'd embarrass her or something. And all that becoming-a-mother-too-young stuff was stupid. I'm not going to do anything like that."

I knew she wouldn't, my Roza was smarter then that. She took her guardian training seriously, and I knew she wouldn't let anything get in the way of doing her best. Based on the conversation I'd overheard though, it hadn't sounded like Janine was specifically talking about her daughter.

"Maybe she wasn't talking about you," I said.

There was a short silence, and then her jaw fell open at my comment. The silence continued, and I could practically see the wheels turning in her head as she processed this. She sighed, continuing to think this new idea through.

All of a sudden she blurted out, "We aren't fighting right now."

I gave her a sidelong look. I figured she was thinking of our recent arguments about Tasha and Adrian, and everything else that was stressing her out.

"Do you want to fight?" I replied.

"No. I hate fighting with you. Verbally, I mean. I don't mind in the gym."

My mouth quirked up in the hint of a smile. "I don't like fighting with you either."

The next words out of her mouth shocked me. "You should take it."

I flinched. "What?"

"Tasha's offer. You should take her up on it. It's a really great chance."

That was the last thing I expected her to say, especially after the arguments this specific topic had caused between us, and of course the feelings I knew we both shared for each other. We both may have done what we could to forget and move on, but it was hopeless. I knew I couldn't deny what I felt no matter what I did. I tried to swallow but my mouth had gone dry. Was she really telling me to do what I think she was, knowing what it would mean for us?

In a tight voice I replied, "I never expected to hear you say anything like that. Especially after-" but before I could continue voicing my thoughts she interrupted.

"What a bitch I've been? Yeah." She tugged my coat tighter around her shoulders, as if taking comfort from its engulfing embrace.

She continued before I could correct her assumption. "Well. Like I said, I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want us to hate each other. And…well…" She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again, and I could tell whatever was coming next was difficult for her to voice.

"No matter how I feel about _us_…I want you to be happy."

There was a silence again. A million different thoughts were racing through my mind, foremost being how I knew, deep in my soul I could never be truly happy with anyone but her.

I reached out and wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close and never wanting to let go. She rested her head on my chest, and I couldn't help but notice as I always did at moments like this how she just seemed to belong there. It was as if we were molded for each other. Instead of voicing this, all I managed to say was "Roza,"

It was the first time in a long while I'd allowed myself to be this close to her. It was easier to bury my feelings for her when I distanced myself both physically and mentally from that strong connection that had been irrevocably forged between us. It had been a long and hard struggle these past couple of weeks to remain distant, and I finally admitted to myself that Tasha hadn't really been able to divert me from the feelings I had for Rose.

I'd thought that if I denied those feelings for her and focused that energy somewhere else…but no. It was a futile effort, one that had never really worked if the events of the tonight were any indicator.

She sighed into me and reluctantly it seemed, pulled away. I instantly felt the change her absence brought on and it didn't sit well with me. I felt a sense of foreboding as she stood up and slipped my jacket off and handed it to me. I looked at her curiously, sensing her unease as well.

"Where you going?" I asked.

"To break someone's heart," she replied in a bleak voice.

She looked at me for a heartbeat more, and all of a sudden I had a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that everything was going to change after this moment. She turned and headed towards the door, and I watched her go until she disappeared inside.

The sound of the door closing behind her had a certain finality to it. I slowly turned back around and faced the view of the snowcapped mountains before me, the sun now higher in the sky. I found that I didn't enjoy it as much as I would have if Rose was still sitting here beside me. I looked down at the jacket in my lap, still warm from being wrapped around her shoulders and wondered what the future would hold.


	3. Part Three

**A/N: Sorry this took longer then I expected guys. I had waaaay too many computer issues and had to start from scratch on this when my laptop crashed on me. And of course Blood Promise came out (freakin' AMAZINGby the way!!! I dunno how I'm gonna last until Spirit Bound is out in April 2010) so that was definitely a huge distraction haha. I'm still not sure if it's exactly how I wanted it to be but oh well. Hope you enjoy, and please let me know what you think!!! =)**

**Disclaimer: *~Everything belongs belongs to the amazing Richelle Mead of course~***

* * *

**Part Three**

I found it hard to drag myself away from the rooftop after that. When Rose left, I felt myself deflate like a popped balloon and even the sunlight sparkling on the snow like diamonds couldn't rouse me from my stupor like the sight normally would have. I just couldn't get myself to move, both my mind and my body still stunned from our exchange. I stayed sitting in the same place, thinking over our conversation and what it could mean for us.

Was she serious when she told me I should be with Tasha? That didn't sound like something my Roza would say. If anything she'd keep fighting for me like she had been the past couple of days, her haughty attitude and snide comments revealing her jealousy of Tasha and the relationship we shared.

I'd been fighting my feelings for her, distancing myself in the hopes that I could forget about the connection we shared. I knew all along in the back of my mind it wasn't working, but I'm a stubborn man and I just continued ignoring that voice, drowning it out with thoughts of Tasha. Did I go too far? Did I end up pushing her away for good as I'd somewhat intended to do?

My heart hurt just thinking about it, but I only had myself to blame. This is what I had wanted right? The two of us going our separate ways romantically? My head and my heart were giving me conflicting feelings, making things way too complicated.

Rose's parting words jumped into my mind suddenly. Whose heart did she have to break? I was hoping Ivashkov's, but my hope and the reality were two different things and I finally came to the conclusion that she must have been talking about Mason.

_Poor kid _I thought_. I wonder if he knows what he's in for._

I lingered as long as I could, trying to put off the inevitable. It's amazing how fast time flies when you have something coming that you're not looking forward to. With a final sigh I took one last look at the sunlit view of the snowy mountains, knowing it would be awhile before I'd get to enjoy the sun's warm rays on my face. With a heavy heart, I made my way to the door and went downstairs, making my way back to the banquet hall to find Tasha.

It didn't take long to reach my destination unfortunately, my long legs carrying me faster than I would have liked. Tasha made it even easier (or harder depending on how you looked at it) on me by walking out right as I reached the doorway leading inside. When she noticed me she flashed a big smile my way, ending her conversation with the Moroi at her side.

She made her way over to me and reached over to wrap her arms around my waist, pulling herself closer into the circle of my arms. After holding Rose this close to me so recently, I couldn't help comparing that with having Tasha in my arms right now. I stiffened then instantly forced my body to relax so she wouldn't notice but it was too late.

She pulled away to look at me with a hurt expression on her face. Her eyes searched mine for some sort of clue as to what my reaction could mean. I struggled to keep my face blank as my emotions continued to barrage me, now more unbearable and almost impossible to ignore since my conversation with Rose on the rooftop.

I chose to ignore the questioning look on her face and instead said, "Shall I walk you to your room?"

She dipped her head in assent and silently walked next to me as we made our way to her room. It was an uncomfortable silence, one that lasted the entire way back. When we reached her door, she turned to me and asked, "Would you like to come in?"

"Sure," I reply before following her inside.

_Better to talk to her now and get it over with instead of dragging things out longer_ I thought to myself.

The door closed behind me with an ominous click. My body was turned towards the door while my eyes and hand lingered on the handle as if contemplating opening it and walking right back out to avoid the confrontation I knew was to come. I'd heard the whispered comments from students at the academy going around, calling me a bad ass god because of my "ass kicking skills". I wonder if they'd take it all back if they could see me now.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself. Before I could turn myself around, I felt Tasha's arms go around my waist and turn me so that I was now facing her and ensnared in her embrace.

I gently tried to remove her arms but she must have misunderstood the gesture because she slithered closer to me, and with our bodies now touching she pulled my face down to meet hers in a long, lingering kiss. I didn't resist, a part of me too caught up in the moment to really register what I was doing. Another wondering if I should really give up what she had offered: the love I knew she felt for me, and the promise of a family and children.

But then Rose's face flashed in my mind, that look of love and longing only reserved for me written in her expression. Slowly I pulled away from Tasha, knowing it would be impossible for me to go on pretending the love I feel for Rose could ever be replaced by whatever it was I thought I felt for Tasha.

Slowly opening her eyes, Tasha looked up at me no doubt wondering why I was pulling away when things had seemed to be heading in a very different direction.

She must have seen something revealing in my eyes because she said, "You've been acting strange lately Dimka. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?" I reply, trying to play dumb.

"When we've been together lately, you've always seemed distracted like there's something else on your mind," she said looking down at the floor. I turned my head away and stared unseeingly towards the heavily shaded window on the other side of the room. Usually I'm able to keep my face blank, but lately I've found it hard to hide my emotions. I started to say something about the recent Strigoi attacks in my response but she interrupted.

"I know you've had a lot on your mind since the Strigoi attacks, which is understandable but that's not it. Something else is bothering you and I can't figure out what it is. Please Dimka, talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking and what's going on. I want to be here for you, whatever it is." She looked up at me then, trying to catch my eye.

Her sincere gaze made me feel guilty. I'm not a coward, but how in the world do you tell someone that's in love with you, who you thought you loved back, that you actually have stronger feelings for someone else? Whatever else I'm feeling or not feeling romantically towards her, Tasha's still a friend and someone I care about. I don't want to hurt her.

I took a deep breath and dove right in.

"I've been thinking a lot about your offer Tasha. It's taken me awhile to figure this out, but I can't accept. I'm sorry."

Many different emotions flashed across her face, the most prominent hurt. She seemed to gather herself before saying in a strained voice, "That definitely wasn't what I expected your answer to be. I don't understand…was it something I did or said? Things seemed to be going really well between us. I really thought you cared for me."

The look of hurt in her eyes was unbearable. I couldn't let her think she was at fault, but would it really make her feel better hearing she was only second best to someone else? I didn't think so but I owed it to her to tell the truth. Well as much of the truth as I could.

"I did and I still do Tasha. It's just…I have feelings for someone else. I guess I thought being with you and the feelings I had for you would diminish what I felt for her but…I just can't fight it anymore. I care about her too much to let her go."

She closed her eyes and turned away from me at that, her shoulders hunched. I put my hand on her shoulder but she flinched away from it, so I withdrew and dropped my hand back to my side. The silence that followed was deafening, and I tried to find something to say but I was at a loss for words. There was nothing I could say that would make this less painful for her.

Without turning around, in a defeated voice she said, "Who is she?"

I stayed silent. I had no idea how to answer her question. I would have been truthful if I could, because Tasha deserved the truth but there was no way I could reveal Rose's identity. It turns out I needn't have worried.

With the utter silence continuing to create an uncomfortable and awkward feeling between us, I knew I had to say something. Stumbling over things I could say in my head, I finally managed to mumble, "I'd rather not say."

Abruptly, Tasha whirled around to face me. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open, a shocked expression on her face. She continued to stare at me like that, her expression flickering ever so slightly and you could practically see the wheels turning in her head as something clicked in her mind.

So quietly I had to strain to hear her words she said, "Oh. My. God."

Her face changed then, from shock to fury in the blink of an eye. "What is the matter with you?! How could you Dimitri!"

I went from straining to hear her words to cringing at the change in volume and tone. Before I could even get any kind of coherent words out of my mouth she cut me off, and almost gave me a heart attack with her next words.

"It's Rose, isn't it?" It came out as more of a statement then a question, which shocked me even more. How could she know that? How could she see it? I'd made it a point to conceal my feelings, even from Rose.

I could tell the moment everything really clicked in her mind as she continued to gape at me.

"That's why she's been so upset when she's seen us together."

'Tasha, I-"

"Don't try to deny it Dimitri. I saw you watching her tonight at the banquet when you thought no one was looking." Her voice rang with unchecked anger now, continuing to rise as she continued to piece the puzzle together. "I feel like an idiot for never noticing it before. The way you act around each other and the way you both orient yourselves so as to be closer to each other without it being too obvious. The weird tension between you both lately… how can I have never noticed it before when the way I look at you is the same way you've both been looking at each other?"

Now that she knew, there was really no point in lying. "Tasha, it's really not what you think. All that happened between us was a kiss, and nothing else has happened since. We both agreed it shouldn't have happened in the first place-"

"You're damn right it shouldn't have happened!" Her eyes flashed, and the anger that surrounded her was like a wave crashing down on me. "She's a child Dimitri! Yes she's mature for her age but that doesn't change the fact the she's underage and not to mention your student! You should have known better then to get involved with her!"

"You're right, I should have reported myself but I didn't. There's nothing I can do about it at this point."

"Nothing to do? Are you serious Dimitri? I'll tell you exactly what to do. Terminate yourself as her personal mentor and let someone else take over. Then stay as far away from her as you possibly can. If you agree with me that your relationship with her is wrong and inappropriate, why are you going back to her?"

"I just can't do it Tasha. Even if I were to relinquish my role as her mentor I'm still Lissa's official guardian. I'll still be seeing Rose constantly. Giving up my position won't rectify the situation."

"It will if you become my guardian. There are plenty of other worthy guardians to take your place at Lissa's side and protect the last in the Dragomir line."

"That may be true but I've come to care about Lissa too. She's a great person who's destined to do great things. I want to protect her to make sure she gets that chance. I won't give up my position as her guardian just because you don't approve of the feelings I have for Rose."

"So that's it? You're choosing her over me? An immature teenager over us and what we could have together?" Her voice still rang with anger but I could see the look of utter defeat in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Tasha. I truly am." And with those last words echoing behind me, I walked out of the room and began making my way to the girl who had stolen my heart.

* * *

Tasha's POV

I could feel my already fragile heart break even more with each step he took as I watched him walk out of the room and out of my life for good. The man that I had been in love with for most of my life was gone. I let the tears that I had been holding back fall freely now that I was alone, and I felt my body begin to shake as I was overcome with pain and heartache after the shock of what had just happened had worn off.

All those times I had seen them together, I'd never even imagined…I'd never put it together that their closeness, the bond they shared could be anything but a mentor to student relationship. The more I thought about it though, the more I could finally see the truth that they had managed to keep so well hidden. The way they acted around each other and the way they'd stare at each other when they thought no one was paying attention…the pieces just fit together. It was as if someone had taken a off a veil from over my eyes that had been blinding me.

My mind was a jumbled mess, and I had a hard time forming coherent thoughts, my brain just not able to process the notion of them…together. It amazed me now that no one had even seen it or figured it out. It was so obvious though that no one would think to see it.

My misery continued on throughout the night. As I began to fall into the wonderful abyss of sleep, I wondered if it was really better to have loved and lost then to have never loved at all.


	4. AN

So I know this isn't really an update on the story and I apologize for that (I always hate when that happens with other fics I read on fan fiction) but I've had emails from a few of you wondering what's taking me so long with my update….I really wanted to get this next part finished and posted before the holidays but that didn't happen because of many different major emergencies. First my boyfriend was in a really bad motorcycle accident and was hospitalized and had to have major surgery, then his mom was hospitalized. I thought that would be all but then my best friends' dad had a major heart attack and passed away suddenly. Last but not least, my mom was diagnosed with Stage II Blood Cancer the day before New Years. Not only have I just been way to busy update, my heart just hasn't been in my writing after the death of my friends' dad and the horrible news about my mom. I know how unbelievable that all sounds, especially with everything happening in such a short amount of time. I really wish this was all made up, believe me ='( Anyways, I just wanted to let you guys know I have NOT given up on the story, things have just been ridiculously crazy. Again, I'm really sorry! I hope I can update soon, and I really hope you guys don't give up on me!


	5. Part Four

**A/N**: Hey guys, I really want to apologize for how long it took me to finally finish writing and posting this chapter. The past couple of months have been tough for me, and even writing couldn't get me away from everything like it usually does. Anyways thanks for all of your comments and messages to me, you guys are awesome! I made this chapter extra long since you guys had to wait so long for me to update =)

As always, PLEASE review and let me know what you think or if you have any other comments/suggestions feel free to leave them. I always appreciate the feedback, I think anything you have to offer will help me grow as a writer. I changed things up a bit with this chapter, but I thought it was necessary to this part of the story, and hopefully it adds to the missing scenes that weren't in the book. I'll try my hardest to get the next part out asap! Hope you enjoy =)

Everything you recognize belongs to Richelle Mead. I only hope I can be as talented as her someday!

* * *

**Part Four**

I felt horrible for putting Tasha through so much pain, but in the end I knew it had to be done. It wouldn't be fair to her or to me if we continued our relationship under false pretenses, at least on my part. I cared about Tasha but after Rose had left me on the roof I had finally realized I couldn't let go of the special connection she and I shared. We understood each other on a deeper level, and although it may not be appropriate I couldn't let myself give something like that up without a fight.

I felt lighter than air, as if a huge weight had been lifted off of my shoulders and I had a new bounce in my step at the prospect of finding Rose and telling her how I really felt. Unfortunately, realizing how late it actually was I knew my confession would have to wait until morning. It was already later than I would have liked, and I needed some sleep if I wanted to be able to function in the morning. Sighing, I made my way back to my room and undressed, my thoughts wandering to images of Rose in the dress she'd worn to the banquet that night and how she'd looked wrapped in my jacket on the top of the snow covered roof earlier that evening. I finally slipped into bed, and Rose's face was the last thing I saw before drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, I made my way down a hallway that connected to the wing of the hotel where Rose and Lissa were staying. I heard harried voices and quick footfalls coming towards me, and from around the corner popped Janine Hathaway and an assortment of other guardians deep in conversation.

I could immediately tell something was wrong when I saw their demeanor and the expressions on their faces. Janine was the first to notice me.

"Guardian Belikov! Just who I needed to see. There's been a breach of security at the front gate. Come with me."

Putting my feelings and newfound revelations about Rose aside, I immediately shifted into Guardian mode. Changing direction, I backtracked and began walking with Janine at a quick pace while the other guardians followed behind us.

"What happened?" I asked

"A guardian was attacked at the front gate. According to the guardians that found him, it happened about half an hour before the shift change. They found him when they showed up to relieve him and his partner."

Alarmed, I asked, "It couldn't have been a Strigoi since it was during the daylight hours. Who would have done this and why? Do we have any leads so far?"

By this time we had reached the double doors in the foyer which led outside at the front of the hotel and we proceeded to push the double doors open. Squinting at the bright sunlight reflecting off of the snow, we continued towards the entrance of the hotel grounds.

"None yet, though hopefully we'll find out soon enough."

We continued on in silence until we reached the guard shack located next to the gated entrance to the hotel grounds. Two guardians stood on either side of the gate and I assumed those two were the new shift replacements. Off to the side leaning against the wall of the guard shack was another guardian holding a handful of snow to his head. This could only be the guardian that had been attacked.

Janine immediately took charge, sending those that had come with us off in groups of two to interview each guard, the new shift of guardians that had found the attacked guard and the guard's partner who had left early. It was an unspoken fact that she and I would interview the attacked guard.

As we approached him, he watched us expectantly already knowing what we were here to do. He straightened and lowered his snow filled hand to his side, revealing a horrible looking injury on the back side of his head. I hissed in sympathy. We stopped in front of him and Janine was the first to speak.

"Guardian Bates, correct?" He nodded, wincing in pain at the gesture.

"Yes ma'am," he said, his voice strained. Dropping the handful of bloody snow that he still held, he quickly buried it with the side of his boot and grabbed a fresh handful and pressed it again to his injury.

Janine gestured to herself and then to me saying, "I'm Guardian Hathaway and this is Guardian Belikov." I nodded an acknowledgement his way as she continued. "Can you tell us what happened here? As much as you remember.

He sank back against the wall and began. "Well there was nothing unusual about my shift. It started as it normally did, me and Mckenzie, my partner, meeting up beforehand to grab some coffee then head over here. Everything was normal, kind of boring actually since most everyone is usually sleeping. The batteries had already died in my flashlight, and the batteries in our two way radios were really low so Mckenzie left to grab some batteries where we keep them in the main office."

He paused at this point in the story and looked a little sheepish. Eyes turned down, his free hand fiddling with the zipper on his jacket he gave a nervous chuckle and continued.

"I'm not proud of this, but it was two kids that got the best of me. See, working the day shift I guess we got a little too relaxed. The Strigoi can't come out so we don't see much of a threat. So when these two kids walked up I thought nothing of it, just figured they were a young couple out for a stroll together. Now that I think about it though, the boy did look kind of nervous, but I figured it was because of the girl he was with. She was definitely a looker, absolutely gorgeous with deep sultry brown eyes, long dark hair and a body that-"

Janine loudly cleared her throat and gave him a look, halting the fantasy before it could continue. He blushed and swallowed, then said, "I asked them what they were doing out here but they didn't answer. Then the boy pretty much ordered me to open the gate for them. I just kind of grinned at him, thinking it was funny of him to try and order me around like he was some high and mighty important person. He was a Moroi, sure, but whether or not he was royal I don't know, though that wouldn't have made a difference since we had strict orders concerning the Academy students. Anyways, when I just kind of brushed him off he tried again and said that I was going to let them out." He frowned and his forehead wrinkled in thought. "It was funny, I felt kind of dazed for a minute there and then bam, I felt something crack me on the back of the head and then I woke up in a lot of pain and to Mckenzie shaking me awake."

At this point he gestured to the black Maglite sitting on his hip and said, " I guess I should have kept this with me even though I couldn't change the batteries instead of leaving it sitting out like I did."

I raised an eyebrow at him and made a "ya think?" expression on my face. He blushed again and shifted uncomfortably at that. I said, "Sounds like the boy tried to compel you to open the gate for them, and when that didn't work the girl knocked you out so they could leave." I looked at Janine for confirmation and she gave a slight nod then asked, "Can you describe the students to us? Once we get their descriptions we might be able to match their identities and figure out who they are so when we find them they can be properly punished."

"Well the boy was tall, about six foot with dark hair…" As he started rattling off their descriptions, I began writing it all down on a pad of paper Janine had handed me. My hand stopped as my head finally processed the detailed information I was given. I whipped my head up and my eyes met Janine's. "Rose." We said at the same time. I swore under my breath and crumpled up the page I had been writing on.

"Who do you think the boy was?" Janine asked, a dangerous tone in her voice.

I had a bad feeling it was Adrian, but after the trouble I'd accidently got Rose into last night at the banquet I was hesitant at mentioning my theory to Janine.

Evading her question as best I could without lying I replied, "I don't know, a lot of students meet that description. I'll look into it though and see what I can find out from her friends. Maybe-"

I was cut off by the chirping of the cell phone in Janine's side pocket. After a brief conversation with the person on the other end, Janine said, "I need to get back, they need me over at headquarters. Will you finish up here until I can come back Belikov?"

"Of course," I replied.

"Once you find Rose, don't let her out of your sight. I'll need to…" She paused, trying to rephrase what she was originally going to say. "…have a word with her." Judging by her severe tone, I could tell Janine would be having more than just 'a word' with Rose. With that, she turned and strode quickly back the way we had come.

After completing my questioning of the guard, I gathered the remaining guardians that had accompanied Janine and me and briefed them about what we had discovered. I quickly came up with a plan of action and assigned each guardian a job in tracking the escapees. Although Rose and her companion might not pose a threat, they could still get into some kind of trouble without meaning to. Not counting the huge amount of trouble they were already in for leaving hotel property.

My first objective was to find out if any of Rose's friends or fellow classmates knew where she had gone, not to mention who with. The obvious choices to check with first were Lissa and Adrian. I knew Lissa would be the first and best choice, but my jealousy got the better of me and my feet began taking me to Adrian's room for the second time in as many days.

Before I'd even stopped moving I was pounding on his door. I waited a few seconds then began pounding on it again, harder this time. I'd break down the door if I had to. Before I could put this thought into action the door was yanked open mid knock and I had to pull my fist away at the last minute. Adrian stood in front of me holding open the door, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Where's Rose?" I practically growled.

Undaunted by my anger, Adrian crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame. He quirked an eyebrow at me and said, "How am I supposed to know? The last time I saw her was at the banquet last night."

I took a step closer to him and narrowed my eyes, my hands clenching into fists. "You better not be hiding anything from me Ivashkov, because if I find out-"

"You'll what, Belikov?" He uncrossed his arms and straightened, sneering at me. "Throw me in detention? I'm not an Academy student. You can't do shit-"

"Adrian? Guardian Belikov? What's going on?"

Startled out of my anger, I blinked and peered past Adrian's shoulder and inside his room. Just behind him I saw Lissa, a look of bewilderment on her face. This was the second time I'd seen Lissa in Adrian's room, and I had no idea what to think about it.

"I'm looking for Rose," I told her, using a much calmer voice than I had a minute ago. "Have you seen her?"

She frowned and said, "No, not since last night. Why?"

"Come with me, Lissa. I need to speak to you privately." Her frown deepened, but she walked out of the room to stand next to me. Before we left, I turned back to Adrian and said, "We're not done here. If you hear from Rose, let me know immediately."

Other than a scowl in my direction he didn't acknowledge me. He looked at Lissa and said, "We'll talk later cousin." With that, he vanished back inside and slammed the door shut. Lissa cringed beside me, looking up to see my reaction from the corner of her eye. I kept silent, my anger in check and started walking.

When we got far enough away from Adrian's door I turned to look at her. "So you haven't seen Rose since last night?" I prompted.

She looked up at me and shook her head. "When I got back to our room she wasn't there, but the dress she wore to the banquet was on the floor so I assumed she changed and went out again, maybe to meet up with Mason or something." I felt a flicker of jealousy, and fought to hold it at bay. This wasn't the time for that.

"What about this morning?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Her bed was empty when I got up and I just figured she woke up early and was with Mason again. Actually, now that I think about it I haven't seen any of them."

"Who else?"

"Christian too. He flaked on me last night. He was supposed to go to the banquet with me, but when he wouldn't go I asked Rose. I was annoyed with him, so I didn't really care but I've tried calling his room several different times but no one's answered."

I thought about this for a minute. "Who is he rooming with?"

"Eddie Castile. I went to their room earlier to see if Eddie knew where Christian was but he wasn't there either."

I stopped walking, thinking hard. It seemed like too big of a coincidence that Lissa hadn't heard from Rose, Christian, Mason _or_ Eddie. I was trying to be logical here, but my gut was telling me something was very wrong. Following my gut instinct, I turned to Lissa and said, "Can you tell me their room numbers? I want to check, maybe one of them is back now."

"Sure," Lissa answered. Once she rattled off the numbers, I sent her back to her room to wait for me. I checked Christian and Eddie's room first, and after knocking for more than five minutes concluded they weren't there. I headed to Mason's room next. I was in luck. The door opened after my first knock and a familiar looking boy with light blonde hair stood in front of me.

"You're Shane right?"

He nodded his head and said "Yea."

"Have you seen Rose Hathaway or your roommate Mason?"

"No Guardian Belikov. Not since last night." I sighed in frustration. I was really starting to hate that answer. "Can you tell me when you last saw them?"

He scratched his head, thinking then said, "Rose came here looking for Mason pretty late last night but she didn't stay around. She rushed off after I told her he'd left."

"How long before that did he leave?"

"Umm…a few hours I guess. Rose came from the banquet I think, because she was all dressed up still." In my mind, I flashed back to last night on the rooftop, picturing the image of Rose handing me my coat as I asked her where she was going. "To break someone's heart," she'd replied. After she left I'd wondered where she was going, who she was going to see. Now I knew. Was it Mason she'd left the grounds with? No I thought, it couldn't be. The description the guard had given was of a boy with dark hair, and Mason's was red. I brought my gaze back up to Shane, who was looking at me questioningly.

"What about Mason? Was he doing anything unusual before he left?"

"Well he got dressed in warm clothes as if he were going outside. He had a duffel bag with him too. At the time, I thought he and Rose had some big romantic thing planned. Then when Rose came to the door asking about him…" He shrugged. "She asked me a few more questions then left." I asked him a few more of my own questions, and then left when he'd told me all he could.

Walking in the direction I'd come, towards Lissa's room I tried to sort everything out. The part about Mason packing things in his duffel bag worried me. From what I'd heard so far from those I'd talked to today I was starting to put a theory and a timeline together. So far, I'd concluded from our conversation on the rooftop and what Shane had told me that Rose had come to break things off with Mason after she'd parted with me. Rose must have had more of an idea about what the duffel bag meant than I did if her rushing off was any indication. She obviously went back to her room to change. Lissa had confirmed that by saying Rose's dress from the night before was there. Could Lissa be covering for Rose?

My thoughts were interrupted when someone called out to me. I turned and saw Janine striding toward me, her face livid with anger. When she caught up to me, I could practically feel the anger emanating from her. Before I could ask her what was wrong she began talking.

"I just came from the North gate. There was a breach there as well. Both guards were compelled and didn't think to mention the fact they let three students leave the premises."

I swore under my breath. "I think I know who two of them are. Mason Ashford and Eddie Castile right?" She nodded and I said, "Who was the third?"

"Mia Rinaldi."

"Wait, Mia? That doesn't make any sense. Rose and her friends were having problems with her at school." 'Having problems' was putting it very mildly, but I didn't think it was a good idea to go too much into detail about that right now.

"Well I don't know what to tell you about that, but I know what might have been her motivation to go with them wherever they went. Her mother was one of the staff members that was murdered in the recent Strigoi attack. She probably wasn't thinking strait, just went along for the ride to get her mind off of her grief."

"It's definitely possible," I replied, still turning things over in my mind.

"Any idea who Rose was with when she left?" Janine asked.

"Christian Ozera. He's one of the other students that seems to be missing."

Now Janine was the one swearing. "Tasha's not going to be happy about this." I cringed mentally but managed to keep my face impassive. In everything going on I'd managed to forget about what had passed between us last night. I mentally switched gears, knowing this wasn't the time to think about that.

Looking to Janine I said, "So what do you want to do from here? I was about to go to Lissa's room to talk to her. I didn't really get a chance to speak to her about what's going on. She was the one that gave me the lead with Castile, Ashford and Ozera."

"That's a good idea. She's friends with all of them right? There might be something she's not telling us. Let's go." Before we could take another step, Janine's phone rang. She fished it out of her pocket and answered. She listened to the voice on the other end, her forehead crinkling. After a minute or two she said, "Thanks Stevenson, let me know immediately if you find out anything else." She hung up and told me, "I had him check the bus station, but the man at the ticket booth didn't see anything, though that doesn't necessarily mean anything. There could have been a shift change." She cleared her throat. "Let's go talk to Lissa. I find it hard to believe her best friend or her boyfriend didn't tell her at least something about what they had planned."

I led the way, but when we got to her door Janine was the one to knock. Or pound I should say.

When the door opened, Janine didn't wait for an invitation. She strode right past Lissa, who then turned to look at me with a nervous expression on her face. I didn't say anything as I passed through the doorway. She closed the door behind us, and I gestured for her to sit down. She sat, hands clasped anxiously in her lap and looked at us expectantly.

Janine was the first to speak. "Do you know where your friends are Lissa? Have you talked to any of them today?"

"No, the only person I've seen today was Adrian. I haven't seen Rose since the banquet last night. Christian and I got in a small argument before the banquet, so I brought Rose instead. I haven't seen him since the argument. "

"What about Mason Ashford, Eddie Castile or Mia Rinaldi?" Janine continued.

Lissa shook her head. "Not since the night before last. We all hung out at the hotel spa area."

"Mia went with you too?" I asked, with a hint of confusion. Lissa understood what I was asking. She knew I'd heard about the problems that had been going on between her, Rose and Mia.

Lissa shrugged. "When she found out about her mom she just seemed so lost and heartbroken. I found her sitting by herself outside, just staring out at nothing so I invited her to hang out with us. She didn't even say anything to me, just stood up and followed me back inside. Rose was surprised when she saw Mia with us when we met up with her later on but she wasn't going to say anything about it either. So she came with us when we all went to the spa. The only time she really talked was when the boys started talking about Tasha's idea of using magic against the Strigoi." Janine and I looked at each other but didn't say anything. I wondered if she was thinking along the same lines I was. She was if her next comment was any indication.

"Have you seen Mia use compulsion Lissa?"

"Not personally, but I know she's pretty good at it. She's used it at school with other students to give me and Rose a hard time. Nothing big since it's technically not allowed, but enough so that she could get her way and manipulate people to go up against us."

Janine looked at me and said, "She was the one that used compulsion at the North gate then. That's who got them out."

Lissa looked between the two of us. "What's going on? What aren't you telling me?"

"They're missing, Lissa." I told her. "Mason, Eddie and Mia got out the North gate and now we know how. From what I can gather, it seems as if Rose and Christian went after them a few hours after they left." Lissa's eyes widened. "If there's anything you're not telling us we need to know. They could be in danger."

"I know you want to protect them, but we need to know where they are." Janine put in.

"I told you," Lissa said," I don't know. I don't know what happened." I could plainly see and hear her outward frustration, almost but not quite managing to disguise the underlying hint of hurt and distress barely obscured in her eyes.

"I can't believe they wouldn't have told you where they were going," said Janine. Her words  
sounded flat, but there were lines of worry on her face. "Especially with your...bond."

"It only works one way," said Lissa sadly. "You know that."

I knelt down in front of Lissa so I could be at her height and look her in the eye. "Are you sure there's nothing you can tell us? The man at the bus station didn't see them ... though we're pretty sure that's where they must have gone. We need something, anything to go on."

I sighed, frustrated and leaned back on my heels. I could tell from her denial that Lissa didn't know anything, but that didn't change how worried I was. If anything it spiked that feeling of fear I could feel bubbling up inside of me. The only reason Rose would keep something from Lissa would be for her own protection. That in and of itself told me we had to figure out where they were before something happened.

All of a sudden I had a revelation that slammed into me full force, a violent wave of realization that took my breath away.

My face must have registered something telling because Janine said, "What is it?"

Time stood still as everything fell into place. My mind flashed back to my conversation with Rose yesterday when I found her and Lissa in Adrian's room. I remember sharing with her the clues we'd found in Seattle, the telltale signs that there was a group of Strigoi working together with humans to destroy the Royals. Right after finishing this thought, my cell phone rang. I felt all the blood drain from my face as I listened to the Guardian on the other end. Dread was quickly coursing through my system, consuming me. When I ended the call, I looked up slowly to find Janine and Lissa staring at me worriedly, waiting for an explanation.

I just barely managed to get the words out to answer Janine's earlier question. "They've gone to Spokane to find the Strigoi."

Their eyes went wide and each had a look of horror on her face. Janine was the first to recover, her Guardian side taking over. "We have to get to them before something happens. They may think they're ready but they have no idea what-"

"But how do we find them?" Lissa cut in, the worry obvious in her voice. "They could be anywhere!"

I looked at Janine for confirmation as I replied, "We'll start at the Seattle bus station where they would have arrived and go from there. We'll try some places they might think to go and a few of the places signs of the Strigoi were found. Hopefully we'll find them before anything can happen."

Janine gave me a curt nod and then turned to Lissa. "You young lady, are to STAY HERE. Don't even think about trying to go after them. If Rose or Christian or any of the others contact you, you are to tell Guardian Belikov or me immediately."

"Of course. I'll let you know right away."

* * *

**Lissa's POV**

As soon as they left I ran to the phone that was sitting on the night table between the beds. I might not be able to reach Rose since our bond only went one way, but now I knew of someone else that might be able to help reach me her. I quickly dialed the front desk and they connected me. The phone started ringing on the other end and I held my breath. I let it out in a whoosh when it was answered.

"Adrian? I need your help."

*****

About an hour later, I heard someone knock. I jumped off the bed and raced to the door, almost tripping over some clothes that Rose had left lying on the floor. I opened the door and grabbed Adrian's wrist to yank him into the room. Not expecting this, Adrian was knocked off balance and almost toppled over before managing to right himself. I closed the door behind us and gestured to the chair on the other side of the room.

He made his way over as I trailed behind him and sat in another arm chair directly across from him. He looked at me, a smile on his face and a hint of amusement in his voice as he said, "So, cousin, what's this all about? Why wouldn't you tell me anything over the phone?" He looked down at my hands and raised an eyebrow. I followed his gaze and realized I was wringing my hands together. I pulled them apart and set them on the armrests of my chair, my fingers digging slightly into the material. I bit my lip in thought, and tried to figure out what to say. I decided the best course of action was to just spit it out.

I looked up and met his eyes. "Rose and Christian are missing. So are Mason, Eddie and Mia. We think they went hunting for Strigoi in Spokane."

Adrian's smile disappeared and his expression immediately turned serious. "Was this the reason Belikov came pounding on my door? He wouldn't tell me anything before you both left."

I nodded and explained about the security breach at the gate, and how they had come to the conclusion about Rose. "Dimitri and Rose's mom came here looking for them and asked if I knew anything. I don't, but they thought I might because of the bond Rose and I share. Or just because of how close we are."

"Do you?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Of course not!" I replied indignantly. "Knowing Rose, she didn't say anything to me because she didn't want to put me in danger. That doesn't explain Christian going though. He and Rose aren't exactly the best of friends, but even so I know Rose wouldn't want to put him in danger either."

"Maybe not in danger, but she might not have minded if he got in trouble here."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"Maybe she tried to use him as a decoy, and when that didn't work she bashed the guard over the head. Christian might have just gone with her since the guard could identify both of them, and he didn't want to get in trouble."

"I guess that's possible…" We sat in silence for a minute, absorbing that. Another thought came to me. "It just doesn't make any sense though."

"What?" Adrian asked. "That she used him as a decoy?" He laughed. "I could definitely-"

I cut him off. "No, no I agree with you on that. I mean c'mon, it's Rose we're talking about here. I just meant about her going after the Strigoi in Spokane. Maybe a couple of weeks ago she would have wanted to, but ever since she started training with Dimitri…she's changed. Become more serious about guarding me and training in general. She was actually arguing with Mason about hunting Strigoi the other night when we went to the spa." I bit my lip and looked down. "Is there anything you can do Adrian? Anyway you can reach Rose like she can with me through our bond?" I looked back up and met his eyes hopefully. Earlier in his room, we had just begun to talk about our unusual specialization. I'd told him more about the bond I shared with Rose and he'd told me he could see people's auras, but we didn't get much farther than that when Dimitri began pounding on Adrian's door.

He thought about it, then said, "I know of something I can try but I need to go back to my room. I don't know how long it will take, but let's plan to meet later on and I'll explain." Just then there was another knock on my door. I let out a frustrated sigh but got up to open the door. Janine and Dimitri stood in the doorway. "We have a few more questions for you Lissa." In answer, I stepped back and waved them inside. Adrian passed them on his way out, leaning down to whisper in my ear. "We'll meet somewhere other than your room so we don't get interrupted again. Go to the banquet hall that the Voda party was hosted in last night, it should be empty by now. I'll call your room when I'm done."

With that he slipped away down the hall and I closed the door behind him, bracing myself for the next round of questioning that I was sure would be coming my way.

* * *

**Adrian's POV**

Once I got back to my room, I closed the door and made my way over to the bed. I sat down on the edge and put my head in my hands rubbing them across my face, trying to clear my head. I was worried, really worried. Though I had only known Rose a short amount of time, there was something about her that intrigued me and had me hooked from the first time I met her on the back porch of the lodge. With the recent Strigoi attacks, it was more important than ever that she and her other friends were found quickly before something could happen. I was hoping my unusual magical abilities would help me out with that.

Straightening, I kicked off my shoes and socks and scooted onto the bed, lying down on my back. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, forcing both my mind and my body to relax. Once my breathing evened out and my body went limp my mind took over. I delved inside myself to find the magic I held deep within me. Once I found it, I held on and began picturing Rose in my mind. Nothing happened.

It took more than a few tries, but I finally felt a sudden change in my surroundings. The air weaving itself around me became much warmer than it should have been for the middle of winter in Idaho. I moved my feet and realized the sensation I felt under them was warm sand running between my toes. When I opened my eyes, I had to squint at the sudden light assaulting me, not used to its brilliancy. I looked down at myself and saw I was still wearing the same khakis and loose white shirt I'd had on before. Checking out my surroundings, I found myself standing on a sandy beach, waves crashing on the shore a short distance away from where I was standing. A figure a few paces ahead of me caught my attention and I smiled triumphantly.

Rose's eyes were closed and her face was lifted up to the sun, her body facing the deep blue of the ocean in front of her. My smile grew as I drew up behind her and stopped. She was wearing a small bikini top and jeans that hugged her curves and sat low on her hips. I licked my lips and had to mentally shake myself. I needed to focus. I wouldn't be able to fantasize about her in the real world if I couldn't find out what had happened to Rose and get them all back safe and sound.

"Little dhampir," I said, stuffing my hands into my pockets. "It's about time."

She turned around, surprise on her face and I smirked.

"Still got your protection," I added, seeing the chotki that was woven around her wrist and the little blue eyed pendant that hung from her belly button. Frowning, she looked down at herself to see what I meant.

"And you're in the sun again," she said, looking back up at me. "So I suppose it's your dream."

"It's our dream," I corrected automatically.

Wiggling her toes in the sand she replied, "How can two people share a dream?"

"People share dreams all the time Rose." The double meaning was not lost on me.

She looked up at me with a frown. "I need to know what you mean. About there being darkness around me. What does it mean?"

I had wondered about this myself. "Honestly, I don't know. Everyone has light around them except for you. You have shadows. You take them from Lissa."

Her confusion grew after hearing my muddled explanation. "I don't understand."

"I can't get into it right now," I told her. "That's not why I'm here."

"You're here for a reason?" she asked, her eyes wandering to look out towards the ocean. "You aren't just…here to be here?"

I stepped forward and caught her hand with mine, forcing her to pull her focus back to me. I dropped my amused tone and said seriously, "Where are you?"

"Here," she replied, puzzled. "Just like you."

I shook my head. "No, that's not what I mean. In the real world. Where are you?"

Her eyes seemed to cloud and her forehead wrinkled in thought. "In a basement…" she said slowly. Everything around us seemed to shimmer, going out of focus, then steadying moments later. Her eyes widened and a look of panic took over her features as her voice tremored. "Oh God, Adrian. You've got to help Mia and Christian. I can't-"

My grip on her hand tightened and I cut her off. "Where?" I said urgently. The world around us flickered and I swore. Something in the real world was pulling her away. "Where are you, Rose?"

Our dream began to dissipate, Rose slowly fading. Her voice sounded like it came from a long distance away. "A basement. In a house. In-" The dream shattered before she could finish and I was jolted back into reality.

Swearing, I sat up in the darkness of my room to look over at the clock sitting on the bedside table. Between the time it took for me to reach her and the time it took to talk to her in the dream a few hours had passed. It was amazing how dreams that seemed so short ended up taking more time than you'd think. I grabbed the phone that was sitting next to me and connected to Lissa's room. After a quick conversation with her, I hung up and rolled out of bed to change out of my sweat soaked clothes. It seemed we had a lot to be worried about.

* * *

**Lissa's POV**

I'd been impatiently waiting for ten minutes already before I heard the door creak open. I turned my head to see Adrian slip in the room.

"Cousin," he said by way of greeting. He sat down beside me against the wall and pulled his knees up. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's ok," I replied.

"You didn't know I was here until you saw me, did you?"

I shook my head in disappointment. On my way to the banquet hall, I'd been using my magic to try to see people's auras as Adrian said he could. He told me he could see someone before they actually appeared around a corner or through a doorway because their auras were so bright. Unfortunately I didn't have any luck.

"And sitting with me…you can't really notice anything?"

"No."

He shrugged. "Well. Hopefully it'll come soon."

"How does it look for you?" I had so much curiosity burning through me I thought I might scorch a hole in the rug.

"Do you know what auras are?" he asked me.

"They're like…bands of light around people, right? Some New Age thing?" I could vaguely remember our old roommate mentioning something about it after coming home one night from his Anthropology of Witchcraft course at the college when Rose and I were hiding out in Portland.

"Something like that. Everyone has a sort of spiritual energy that radiates out from them. Well, almost everyone." He hesitated here, and I wondered what he was thinking about. After a moment he continued. "Based on the color and appearance, you can tell a lot about a person…well. If anyone could actually _see_ auras, that is."

"And you can," I said intrigued. "And you can tell I use spirit from my aura?"

"Yours is mostly gold. Like mine. It'll shift with other colors depending on the situation, but the gold always stays."

"How many other people out there like us do you know?" I asked.

"Not many. I just see them every once in a while. They kind of keep to themselves. You're the first I've actually ever talked to. I didn't even know it was called 'spirit'. Wish I'd known about this when I didn't specialize. I just figured I was some kind of freak."

No kidding. I knew exactly how he felt. I held up my arm and stared at it, willing myself to see the aura I now knew was there. Nothing. Sighing, I gave up and let my arm drop back to my side.

"So, they finally let you go?" Adrian asked. He was referring to Janine and Dimitri coming to my room right before he left.

Yea. They finally decided I really didn't know anything."

"Good," he replied. Frowning at me, he continued, "And you're _sure_ you don't?"

"I already told you that. I can't make the bond work that way." No matter how much I wished I could. It was something that had bothered me ever since Rose and I discovered the bond we shared.

"Hmm. Well. You've got to."

I glared at him, annoyed. "What, you think I'm holding back? If I could find her, I would!"

"I know, but to have it at all, you must have a strong connection. Use that to talk to her in her dreams. I tried, but I can't hang on long enough to-"

"What did you say?" I exclaimed. Did I hear him right? "Talk to her in her _dreams_?"

He looked at me, bewildered. "Sure. Don't you know how to do that?"

"No! Are you kidding? How is that even possible?" The thought of being able to walk around and visit in someone's dreams was absolutely incredible.

He ran a hand through his hair and tipped his head back, staring at the crystal chandelier above us as he thought. "Okay. So. You don't see auras, and you don't talk to people in dreams. What _do_ you do?"

I was almost uncomfortable telling him. Not because I didn't want to share but because I had kept this part of myself hidden for so long. "I…I can heal people. Animals. Plants, too. I can bring dead things back to life."

"Really?" he said, looking impressed. "Okay. You get credit for that. What else?"

"Um, I can use compulsion."

"We can all do that," he replied.

"No, I can _really_ do it. It's not hard. I can make people do anything I want-even bad things."

"So can I." His eyes lit up as he looked at me. "I wonder what would happen if you tried to use it on me…"

I hesitated, absentmindedly running my fingers over the textured carpet. "I can-just not right now. I take this prescription…for depression and other stuff…and it cuts me off from the magic."

He threw his hands up in the air. "How can I teach you to walk through dreams then? How else are we going to find Rose?"

"Look," I said angrily, "I don't _want_ to take the meds. But when I was off them…I did really crazy stuff. Dangerous stuff. That's what spirit does to you."

"I don't take anything. I'm ok."

But he wasn't. I remembered the day Rose and I had been in Adrian's room and Dimitri had found us. "You got really weird that day when Dimitri was in your room," I pointed out. "You started rambling, and you didn't make any sense."

"Oh, that? Yeah…it happens now and then. But seriously, not often. Once a month, if that."

I stared at him, thinking. He sounded sincere, and other than that one time in his room I hadn't seen him do anything else weird. What if he really was ok without pills and he didn't really any harmful side effects? What could that mean for me? I hated the feeling of the drugs suppressing my magic, and I could learn so much more from Adrian if I really didn't have to take them…The endless possibilities continued to weave through my mind. Adrian smiled at me, probably guessing what I was thinking.

"What do you say cousin?" he asked me. His offer was really tempting. "I could teach you everything I know if you're able to touch the magic. It'll take awhile for the pills to get out of your system, but once they do…" he trailed off, letting me finish his sentence my own way.

I hardly hesitated with my answer. "I'll do it." I just hope I won't regret it.

"Excellent! I'll make arrangements so I can follow you back to the Academy and begin our training together. In the meantime, I have some information to share with you. While you were busy being interrogated, I went back to my room and tried to see if I could get a hold of Rose by visiting her dreams."

I sat up straighter at this, my full attention on him and eagerly waiting for his next words.

"I was able to contact her, but I wasn't able to find out too much information because something in the real world called her back before I could find out where they were."

My eyes went wide and I said hurriedly, "Well what did she say?"

"From the little she was able to tell me, they're definitely in trouble. It sounded like they're being held captive in a basement in some house, but that's all I was able to get."

My hands flew to my mouth and I let out a cry of anguish. I felt the tears come and I jumped up, already moving towards the door. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? We've got to tell Janine and Dimitri!" I pushed away the doors and they slammed open, hitting the walls behind them.

With Adrian following close behind, I ran as fast as I could without knocking into anyone on the way and went straight to Janine's room. Before they'd left my room the second time, Dimitri had told me where he and Janine would be just in case I heard from Rose or any of the others that were missing. Dimitri was the one I needed to talk to since he was the one that knew the most about my magic situation, and therefore would be the only one who would believe how Adrian and I had gotten our information. I just hoped we could get to them before something bad happened. With that thought, I pushed myself harder praying we would be able to find Rose and the others in time.

**Don't forget to review please! =P**


End file.
